Lock



sept. 14, 192s. 1,600,056

S. L. MORGAN LOCK Fi'led April 26, 1924 2 Sheets-.Sheet 1 sept. 14,1926. A 1 1,600,056

s. L. MORGAN Loox Filed April 26, 1924 2 sheets-Shea 2 Patented Sept.14, 1926.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN L. MORGAN, F SKANEATELES, NEW YORK. i

LOCK.

Application led April 26, 1924. Serial` No. 709,120.

the unes 12-1'2, 13-13 maia-14111 Fig- The invention relates to locks ofthe permutation class applied to the operating mechanism of anautomobile or other motor vehicle and serving to prevent unauthorizedmovement of the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a reliable lock operable fromthe instrument board of the car andacting directly upon the transmissionmechanism thereof to hold the latter immovably in the inoperativeneutral position. Further objects are to provide means actuated by themovement of the locking mechanism, for automatically holding theself-starting mechanism against operation, and also rendering theignition system inoperative, when the transmission mechanism is in thelocked condition.

rThe invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction and arrangement by which the above objects are attained, tobe hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying ydrawings form a part of this specification and show lapreferred form of the invention. V

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a `portion of a car, showing thelocking mechanism and its operating means in side elevation. Y

- Figure 2 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, through theinstrument board and the lock-operating means mounted thereon.

Figure 8 is an elevation of the parts exposed on the face of theinstrument board. Figure 4 is a plan view of the spindle or stem 'foroperating the lock.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of such stem, taken on the line 5-#5in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 in Figure 4.

Figure 7 a transverse section through the stem on the line 7--7 inFigure 4, .showin@r also the rear face ,of a dial engaged therewith.

Figure 8 is a plan view of aportion of the transmission case and the.locking mechanism thereon, partly in horizontal section. j Figure 9 is acorresponding `plan view of Va portion with certain parts omitted.

AFigure 10 is a vertical section through the lock and adjacent parts,taken on the line 10-10 in Figure 9, and partly in elevation. Figure 11isa vertical section throughV the lock, taken on the line 11--11 inFigure 10. Figures 12, 13 and 14 are vertical sections, partly inelevation, Itaken respectively on ure 9.

Figure 15 is an elevation showing aportion of the lock. v i

Figure 16 is a planview showing the under face of a portion,rv of thelock. i

Similar reference numerals indicate the i same parts' in all theflgures.

The transmission case 17 see Figures l1 andy 8 to 14, has a plate18forming part thereof and provided with a vertical cylinj,

drical case or cup 19 containing the mechanism of the lock, whichbriefly described, comprises a xed stud 20 having a'notched lin 21 and alongitudinally'slitted sleeve 22 capable of sliding axially onl thestud-with its slit engaged with the iin. Notched locking disks 23 arerotatably mounted on Vthe sleeve, held separated by washers V24 fixed onthe sleeve, adapted in 'one position to present their notches to the n21 and permit the sleeve' to slide vertically upon the stud 20, and inother positions to engage the notches of the fin and prevent suchmovement; Vthe latter is l the locked position'. Pins 25 carried by thelocking disks` 23 are arranged to strike and thus'engage adjacent disksand rotatethem to assumev the `unlocked positions when properlymanipulated.

Onthe lower end of the sleeve is an annular iange 26 carrying twooppositely located downwardly projecting spurs 27 moving verticallythrough openings in the plate 18 and into the case 17 where, in thedepressed position, they enter cavities formed in the shifting shafts 28and hold the latter in the neutral position when the sleeve 22 islowered and. locked, thus holding the car in the inoperative condition.

The lock is arranged tot lowered in the cup 19 by rai-sing and loweringa. short vertical shaft 29 extending through the cover 3,0 of the cupand having a flange 31 rotatably engaged with the sleeve be raised vand22 and its disks. Rotating' the shaft 29 in the proper directions locksor unlocks the sleeve and stud, and vertical movements of the shortshaft 29l0wers or raises the sleeve an-d its connections to engage ordisengage the shifting shafts 28.

These movements are communicated by means of a flexible shaft 32inclosed ,in a

`iex'ibleV casing 33 removably fastened atv the lower end to the cover80V of the cup, with the inclosed, flexible shaft engaged with the shortshaft 29 at 34. Thus arranged any turning movements of the flexibleshaft 32 are communicated directly to the lock mechanism within the cup19 ,to rotate the disks 23 to the desired relative positions, and anyendwise movements of the flexible shaft 32 raise or lower the. sleeve 22and its connections when the sleeve is in the unlocked condition,correspondingly moving the spurs 27 relatively to the shifting shafts torelease or engage the latter.

The upper end of the flexible shaft 32 and its flexible casing 33 extendto mechanism locatedon the instrument board 35 by which the lockingmechanism is operated. On the outer face'of the instrument board is acircular plate 36 having a window 37, and a central aperture throughwhich extends a cylindrical dial stem 36. The stem is inclosed andguided in a tube-39 secured at one end to va plate40 on the inner faceof the instrument board and at the other end I' to the flexible casing33 of the flexible shaft 32. j

The tube 39 is separably fastened to the plate 40 by a screw coupling 41engaging oth the tube and a ring 42 between which the plate 40 is firmlyclamped. 1n the space between the plates 36 and 40 and within anaperture in the instrument board is located the dial 43 mounted on thestem 38 to turn therewith but maintain its position close to the window37 through which its numerals may be read, Awhile permitting the stem tomove axially through the dial. rEllis is accomplished by a tooth 44projecting into the central hole in the dial, engaged in a longitudinalgroove 45 on the stem. Thus arranged the stem 33 may be thrust axiallyinwardly and outwardly relatively to the instrument board and the dialV43 and to roy tate the latter by manipulating the head or button 46 onthe outer end of the stem.

rlhe opposite end of the stem 33 is drilled and notched to receive andhold rmly the upper end of the flexibleshaft 32, as at 47 in Figures 4vand 5. By turning the stem 38 in the proper directions as required bythe settinO` of the locking mechanism and indicated by the presentationof the corresponding numbers at the window 37, the

flexible shaft is correspondingly rotated and the movements communicatedto the short shaft 29 and the disks 23; the sleeve 22 is thus freed bythe unlocking operation and by an outward pull on the headV 46 of t-hestem 38, through the flexible shaft 32, the sleeve is raised and thespurs27 withdrawn from the shifting shafts 28.

In this condition the car may be operated, and to insure against anunintentional inward movement of the stem, due to vibration or othercause, by which the spurs 27 would again lower, a swinging latch 43 ispivotally mounted on the plate 36 adapted engage the spurs 27 withY theshifting shafts 23. 1n this position the stenimay be freely turned torotate the disks 23 and lock the car. At the opposite end the ygroove 49flows into a segmental groove 52 in which the pin is received when thestem is fully withdrawn and the shifting shafts freed.

The segmental groove 52 permits sufficient rotary movement of the stemand flexible shaft to insure the proper positioning of the disks 23relatively to each other when in the unlocked condition. The groove 49should coincide with a known numeral on the dial to facilitate the axialmovement of the stem by proper setting. When inthe unlocked conditionwith the head 46 of theI stein in contact with the latch 48 Vthelpin 50will lie in the groove 49 and hold the stem against rotation. Y

rllhe combination of numbers to which the lock is set may be changed atwill by removing a master pin 53 from its hole in the flange 31, seeFigure 16, and reinserting it in any of the several holes 54 providedfor` the purpose, thus correspondingly changing the entire combination.Y

As additional vsafeguardsl against unauthorized operation of the car,means are provided, operated by the vertical movements of the lock,`formaking and breaking the electric ignition circuit andL for rendering theself-starting system operative or inoperative. These functions areperformed through the rmedium of. a control shaft 55 exten-ding throughthe marginV of the cup 19 near its base and having an arm 56 looselyengaged between bars 57 ina recess 58 in the under facev ofv the flange26 of the sleeve 22. The raising or lowering movements of the flange arethus transmitted to i the shaft 55 and cause it to oscillate.

Exterior to the cup 19 on one side thereof is a two-armed knife switch59 mounted on the control shaft 55 and arranged when the flange 26 israised to unlock the shifting shafts, to engage the leaves of thercontact points 60 and complete the ignition circuit the control shaft55'carries a finger 62, seeA i Figures 9, 10 and 14, arranged to strikeand indicated at 67, and in the other position to y retract the block asshown in Figure 9 and permit such depression.

The above described ignition switch, starter mechanism and control shaftare inclosed in casings 68 and 69 which are shown as removably mountedto slide in ways 70 on the plate 18.

Modifications may be made in the formsy and proportions of the severalmechanisms without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing its advantages, and partsl may be used without the whole.Although the invention is shown and described as applied to locking theshifting shaftsof an automobile, it will be understood that it willserve successfully in other situations to which it may be adapted.

I claim 1. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shiftingshafts, a vertically movable rotatably actuated lock arranged to engagesaid shifting shafts, a flexible shaft adapted to actuate said lock byrotary movements of said flexible shaft, and to raise and lower saidlock by bodily lengthwise nonrotating movements solely of said flexibleshaft, and means on the instrument board of such vehicle for operatingsaid flexible shaft.

2. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having locking members actuated by rotation, vertically movablemeans operated by said lock for engaging said shifting shafts, and aflexible shaft adapted for rotation to actuate said members and forbodily lengthwise movement solely to raise and lower said means.

3. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having locking members actuated by rotation, vertically movablemeans operated by said lock for engaging said shifting shafts, aflexible shaft adapted for rotation to rotate and actuate said members,and to move bodily lengthwise solely to raise and lower said means, anda rotatable stem mounted to slide axially on the instrument board ofsuch vehicle and joined to said flexible shaft. p

4. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having locking members actuated by rotation, vertically movablemeans operated by said lock for engaging said shifting shafts, aflexible shaft adapted for rotation to rotate land actuate said members,and to move bodily lengthwise only to raise and lower said means, arotatable stem mounted to 4slide axially on the instrument board of suchvehicle and connected to said flexible shaft, and movable means forlimiting the inward l axial movement o f said stem. f

5. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having llocking members actuated by rot-ation, vertically movablemeans operated by Isaid lock for engaging said shifting shafts, aflexible shaft adapted for rotation to rotate and actuate said members,and to move bodily lengthwise solely to raise and lower said means, arotatable stem mounted to slide axially on the instrument board of suchvehicle and connected to said flexible'shaft, a 80 head on said stem,and a movable latch between said head and instrument board.

6. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having locking members actuated by rotation, vertically movablemeans operated by said lock for engaging said'shifting shafts, aflexible shaft adapted to rotate and actuate said members, and topmovebodily lengthwise to raise and lower said means, a rotatable stemmounted in a guide on the instrument. board of such vehicle, and havingan annular groove and a connecting longitudinal groove, and a pin insaid guide projecting into and coacting with said grooves, said stemconnected to 'said flexible shaft.

7. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting shafts, alock having locking members actuated by rotation, vertically movablemeans operated by said lock 100 for engaging said shifting shafts, aflexible shaft adapted for rotation to rotate and actuate said members,and -to move bodily lengthwise solelyA to raise and lower said means,and a switch automatically*operated by said vertically movable means.

8. In a motor vehicle, transmission mechanism having shifting V shafts,a vertically movable lock arranged to engage said shifting shafts b irelease said s iifting shafts by a rising movement, a controly shaftoscillated by such STEPHEN L. MORGAN.

a lowering movement and to

